Blockchain security firm CertiK, valued at $2 billion, is weighing a move into public markets. According to The Block, the company is actively evaluating the possibility of an IPO. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, co-founder and Columbia University computer science professor Ronghui Gu said there is no highly specific IPO plan at this stage, but entering the capital markets is “definitely a goal” for the company. He said CertiK wants to become “the first publicly listed Web3 cybersecurity company.”
Latest public funding round set valuation at $2 billion
Founded in 2018, CertiK focuses on blockchain and Web3 security, with services that include smart contract audits and on-chain analytics. As DeFi, NFTs, and other on-chain applications expanded, the company grew into one of the key infrastructure providers in the sector.
The report said CertiK’s most recent public fundraising round came in 2022, when it raised $88 million in a B3 round that pushed its valuation to $2 billion. The round was led by Insight Partners, Tiger Global, and Advent International. Gu also said Binance is CertiK’s earliest investor and still its largest by scale, while Coinbase and SoftBank are also among its backers.
Strategic tie with YZi Labs and fresh Binance capital
Before IPO discussions moved into focus, CertiK announced in January that it had formed a strategic partnership with YZi Labs, which is controlled by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. Gu said Binance recently made a new eight-figure dollar investment in CertiK, tightening the relationship between the two sides.
Its investor base now spans major crypto firms and traditional financial institutions. CertiK has not announced a listing timeline, but its management has made clear that a public market debut is on the company’s target list.